Service Brakes Hydraulic Problem on the 2003 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO

Car problem(s) with the 2003 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO.
This database includes information received by NHTSA from consumers either directly or as recorded by the Vehicle Safety Hotline. This information may be used by NHTSA during the investigation process.
You may file your own complaint by calling the NHTSA Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm at (888) 327-4236, TTY: (800) 424-9153. You can also file your complaint online.

Problem with Service Brakes Hydraulic

Feb 17, 2011 - Fair Lawn, NJ - Hydraulic
THE ROTORS OF MY 2003 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO LS NEED TO RESURFACED OR REPLACE EVERY 6000 MILES, OTHERWISE I WILL FEEL THE SHAKING/VIBRATING OF THE BRAKES WHEN I TRY TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP AT HIGH SPEED.

May 15, 2010 - Tawas City, MI - Hydraulic
HAVING THE COMMON TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS PROBLEMS WITH MY 2003 MONTE SS. CANT BELIEVE THIS ISN'T PART OF A RECALL AND ONLY A TSB. AT THIS POINT THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE AN EXACT ANSWER ON WHAT TO HAVE REPLACED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. JUST SPEND ALOT OF MONEY AND HOPE YOU HAD THE CORRECT REPAIR. TRACTION ACTIVE COMES ON AT SLOW SPEED AND DRY ROADS. USUALLY AFTER BACKING UP AND THEN TURNING SHARPLY. ANTI LOCKS HAVE EVEN ENGAGED WHEN THEY SHOULDN'T. AGAIN AT SLOW SPEEDS AND DRY ROADS. I'M APPALLED BECAUSE I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY CHEVY TRUCK THAT CAUSED ME AN ACCIDENT. I'M VERY FEARFUL OF ANOTHER ACCIDENT. GM HAD AN INVESTIGATOR CHECK MY TRUCK AND THEY TOOK RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT BRAKE FAILURE. GOING TO TRY THE WIRING HARNESS FIRST AND GO FROM THERE I GUESS.

May 11, 2010 - Winder, GA - Hydraulic
2 COMPLAINTS. WHEN STARTING OFF FROM A STOP POSITION AND MAKING A HARD LEFT THE SERVICE TRACTION SYSTEM LIGHT COMES ON AND THE TRAC OFF LIGHT COMES ON AND THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON AND THE CAR MAKES A GRINDING NOISE. ONLY DOES THIS AT THIS TIME. THE SECOND COMPLAINT IS THE OVERHEAD DRIVER CONTROL PANEL WILL NOT COME ON AND THEN AFTER DRIVING A WAYS IT WILL COME ON. WHEN OFF THE AIR OR HEAT OR DEFROST WILL NOT WORK. I HAVE REPLACED IT ONCE AND NOW IT IS DOING IT AGAIN. I HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING ABOUT THE LIGHTS FOR THE TRACTION.

Jun 20, 2009 - Claremore , OK - Hydraulic
ABS BRAKING IN MY 2003 CHEVY MONTE CARLO I WAS 2 CARS LENGTHS AWAY FROM A FORD BRONKA FOR WHOM I REARENDED, I WAS LOOKING TO TURN IN QT PARKING LOT THEN I LOOKED BACK AND THE CARS AHEAD HAD STOPPED. I HIT THE BREAKS EXPECTING TO BE ABLE TO AVOID THE CONTACT BUT THE BREAKS JUST LOCKED UP AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY THANK GOD FOR SEATBELTS. AS THE MOVEMENT OF THE CAR WAS SLIDING FORWARD AND I HAD MY FOOT PUMPING TO SLOW BUT EVERY TIME I TOUCH THE PEDAL IT WOULD JUST LOCK UP. I TRIED THIS TWICE AND THEM I JUST BRACED FOR THE HIT WHEN WE HIT MY FOOT WAS JAMMED BACK ON THE BREAK NOW I HAVE A BROKEN FOOT.

Nov 24, 2008 - Goetzville, MI - Hydraulic
TL CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO. AT 18,758 MILES, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS SHAKING SEVERELY AND WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER INFORMED HER THAT SHE NEEDED NEW ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS ON BOTH FRONT WHEELS. THE TIRES WERE ROTATED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT RETURNED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE FAILURE HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR THREE WEEKS AND NO ONE HAS CALLED HER BACK TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE IS KEPT IN STORAGE DURING THE WINTER BECAUSE IT IS NOT DRIVEN OFTEN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 34,261 UPDATED 01/08/09 THE CONSUMER STATED THE LET FRONT TIRE HAS FLAT SPOTS AND THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE AFTER THE TIRES WERE ROTATED. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE SHAKES. THE ROTORS AND PADS WERE REPLACED. UPDATED 01/09/09.

Feb 16, 2007 - Broken Arrow, OK - Hydraulic, Antilock
TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE 2004 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO WITH 46000 FAILURE MILEAGE AT 40 MPH ON A SNOWY DAY HE NOTICED A VEHICLE STOPPED IN THE FAST LANE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES, BUT COULD NOT STOP IN TIME AND STRUCK THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE, BUT THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED.

May 15, 2006 - Louisville, KY - Hydraulic, Foundation Components, Disc, Rotor
BRAKE/ROTOR PROBLEMS. THE CAR HAS HAD CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES VIBRATING/GRINDING. I HAVE HAD TWO SETS OF FRONT BRAKES PUT ON THE CAR, ONE AT 32,000 MILES AND AGAIN AT 65,000 MILES. AT 32,000 MILES THE CAR HAD WARPED ROTORS THAT THEY SAID WAS CAUSING THE VIBRATING. WITHIN A YEAR, THEY ARE VIBRATING AGAIN. I AM 46 YEARS OLD AND NEVER HAD CAR TO HAVE WARPED ROTORS. THE CAR MAKES A LOT OF NOISE WHEN BRAKING AT HIGHER SPEEDS - AROUND 55 - 60. I LOVE THE CAR OTHERWISE, JUST CAN'T SEEM TO GET THE BRAKE PROBLEMS CORRECTED.

Dec 19, 2005 - Magnolia, AR - Hydraulic, Foundation Components, Disc, Pads
DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD. SHE PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. SHE THEN PLACED THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL, WHICH SLOWED THE SPEED. THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY STOPPED. WHEN SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE THROTTLE WAS STUCK. THE MECHANIC CLEANED THE THROTTLE SYSTEM, AND REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS. THE BRAKES APPEARED TO BE DAMAGED AS A RESULT OF HER ATTEMPTS TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THIS WAS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. THERE HAVE BEEN NO FURTHER PROBLEMS.

Nov 17, 2005 - Locust Grove, VA - Hydraulic, Foundation Components, Disc, Rotor
DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED EXCESSIVELY WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE FIRST TIME HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY TURNED THE ROTORS. THIS REMEDIED THE PROBLEM FOR APPROXIMATELY 30-60 DAYS. THE SECOND TIME THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY REPLACED THE ROTORS. THE ROTORS HAVE TO BE TURNED APPROXIMATELY EVERY 10,000 MILES. THIS PROCEDURE HAS NOT REMEDIED THE PROBLEM AT THIS TIME.

Mar 28, 2005 - Lackawaxen, PA - Hydraulic, Foundation Components, Disc, Rotor
DURING INSPECTION, THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRONT AND REAR ROTORS WERE COMING APART. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE ROTORS. CONSUMER REPLACED FRONT ROTORS AND PADS AT HER EXPENSE AND WAS REIMBURSED BY THE MANUFACTURER. MECHANIC SAID THE ROTORS WERE MADE OF PRESSED METAL THAT FLAKED APART WHICH MADE THE BRAKES WEAR OUT.

Jan 26, 2005 - Pell City, AL - Hydraulic, Foundation Components, Disc, Rotor
I HAVE TAKEN MY 2003 MONTE CARLO IN THREE DIFFERENT TIMES FOR ROTOR VIBRATION. I HAVE BEEN IN TALKS WITH GMAC AND THEY ARE NOW TELLING ME THE DEALERSHIP SAYS IT IS DUE TO DRIVER HABITS. THIS IS SO UNFAIR, SEEING AS THEY DECIDED TO REPLACE A CALIPHER ON MY LAST SERVICE CALL SAYING THIS IS WHAT CAUSED THE WHOLE PROBLEM. NOW I HAVE TO HEAR THE BRAKES "SCRUBBING" AS I STOP, IT SOUNDS LIKE A 4-WHEEL DRIVE TRUCK! THEY SAY THIS IS DUE TO THE BRAKES "WEARING INTO" THE NEW SHAPE OF THE ROTOR. SIGH, SO MUCH FOR BEING EXICITED OVER YOUR $378.00 A MONTH VEHICLE. ALL THAT HAS BEEN DONE SO FAR IS THE ROTORS HAVE BEEN TURNED THREE DIFFERENT TIMES AND RIGHT SIDE CALIPHER REPLACED. (THEY TRIED TO CHARGE ME BUT THEN THEY "FOUND"THE CALIPHER HAS STUCK).

Dec 08, 2004 - Ashland City, TN - Hydraulic, Foundation Components, Disc, Rotor
BRAKES WERE CHANGED @ 32,000 MILES STILL WAS HAVING VIBRATION WHEN I PRESSED THE PEDAL TOOK TO THE DEALER FOR THEM TO CHECK 4 TIMES AND THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. RECENTLY I HAD TO TAKE BACK FOR OIL CHANGE, ROTATION OF TIRES I TOLD THEM TO CHECK AGAIN AND MY ROTORS HAD TO BE TURNED BUT, THEY DID NOT CHANGE THE BRAKE PADS SAID THEY STILL HAD 75% WEAR. THE ROTORS COST ME OVER $100.00. I AM STILL HAVING VIBRATION WHEN I DRIVE AND RUBBING WHEN I PRESS MY BRAKE PEDAL. I HAD MY CAR ALIGNED @ THE DEALER WHEN THE ROTORS WERE TURNED. NOW I AM GOING TO GET THEM TO CHECK MY BRAKES AGAIN.

Sep 20, 2004 - Chicago, IL - Hydraulic, Foundation Components, Disc, Rotor
WHILE DRIVING AND UPON PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL VEHICLE VIBRATED. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD VEHICLE NEEDED NEW BRAKES AND ROTORS. HAD THE REPAIRS DONE. HOWEVER, PROBLEM RECURRED.

Aug 21, 2003 - Amelia, OH - Hydraulic, Foundation Components, Disc, Rotor
BRAKE PROBLEMS, ROTORS TURNED BEFORE 8,000 MILES DUE TO VIBRATION.BRAKES NOW SSQUEAL AND PULL TO THE RIGHT. INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT HIT ANOTHER CAR AND WHEN I TRYED TO GET IT STOPED THE BRAKES PULLED HARD TO THE RIGHT CAUSING ME TO HIT A ELECT. POLE.SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.